Cannabidiol mitigates cognitive impairment from LPS-induced neuroinflammation in mice

Cannabidiol (CBD) is a non-psychoactive substance derived from the Cannabis sativa plant, with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. Neuroinflammation is a pathological process triggered by multiple mechanisms in the brain and progresses in a spiral manner, commonly encountered in the pathology of many neurodegenerative diseases. The effects of neuroinflammation on memory problems that begin in the early stages of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease are discussed. In recent years, the search for effective drugs for these paradoxical pathologies has continued. Thus, our study aimed to evaluate the effect of CBD on learning and memory performance in a mouse model of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced neuroinflammation. An in vivo neuroinflammation model was performed by administering LPS (2mg/kg; ip) to C57BL/6J mice on days 1 and 3. Mice that were given CBD treatment for 21 days were subjected to neurobehavioral tests on the last 4 days. In the open field test, no difference was observed between the groups in terms of spontaneous movements and anxiety. In the novel object recognition test, the movement time to recognise the new object was longer in the CBD treatment group than in the LPS group. Finally, in the passive avoidance test, the delay in moving to the dark compartment was longer in the CBD-treated group than in the LPS group. As a result, the cognitive functions impaired by LPS administration can be improved with CBD treatment, and the study will be carried forward by supporting these behavioural results with neurobiochemical results.